In a restraint situation an inflated gas bag needs to absorb the forces acting on it due to impact of the vehicle occupant and to direct them into the vehicle. For this purpose, a gas bag protecting in the case of a head-on collision is supported by the steering wheel hub or the dashboard, depending on whether a driver gas bag or a front passenger gas bag is involved. A cushion-shaped head gas bag as part of a side-acting restraint system is known from DE-U 92 11 423. In this arrangement a head gas bag is disposed under the cover of the roof frame from which it emerges in a collision situation. Eye-lugs at the outer surrounding edge of the gas bag surround a cable disposed along the B-pillar. On deployment of the gas bag the cable serves to guide the gas bag, as a result of which it expands downwards guided at the sides until it has assumed a defined final position. Prior to and during impact of the occupant on the gas bag provided in the case of the restraint system according to DE-U 92 11 423, the gas bag may move along this cable guide and partly change its position, which is undesirable.
Furthermore, cushion-shaped side gas bags are known which in a restraint situation are supported by the side window of the vehicle. If, however, the window shatters in the case of a side collision, the gas bag is lacking support to a major extent so that its restraint effect is at least severely restricted.